Mike Tyson - boxing Topics - ESPN Personal Mike Tyson is a retired boxer and a former WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight champion. In his 58-fight career, Tyson won 50 of those matches, 44 of them by KO. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011. However, Tyson's career and life were not without controversy. The boxer served three years in prison in the 1990s after being found guilty of rape and returned to jail for a shorter sentence on assault charges in 1999. He also raised eyebrows in the ring -- perhaps his most famous fight involved Tyson biting the ear of opponent Evander Holyfield so severely that a piece of it detached. Since his retirement, Tyson has struggled financially but, in recent years, has staged a comeback in pop culture, thanks to popular video games and cameos in movies and television. Michael Gerard Tyson was born June 30, 1966, in Brooklyn, New York, to Lorna Tyson and Jimmy Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick left the family when Tyson was 2, leaving his mother as the sole caregiver for him and his two siblings.

The family struggled financially and eventually moved to Brownsville, Brooklyn, a high-crime area of the city. Tyson was bullied as a child, and he joined a gang -- the Jolly Stompers -- to protect himself and join in the popular street-fighting of the neighborhood. At 11, Tyson was robbing convenience stores while other gang members held the clerks at gunpoint. By his 13th birthday, Tyson had been arrested more than 30 times over his petty criminal activities. Due to his bad behavior, Tyson was sent to the Tryon School for Boys, a reform school upstate. Tyson's counselor at the school was Bob Stewart, an amateur boxing champion. In exchange for Tyson's promise of good behavior and schoolwork, Stewart agreed to teach the boy to box. His schoolwork improved exponentially, and he exceled at the sport, often sneaking out of bed to practice after curfew. In 1979, Stewart introduced Tyson to Cus D'Amato, a boxing coach who owned a gym in Catskill, N.Y.

Tyson and D'Amato became extremely close as he coached the young boxer and, after Tyson was paroled from Tryon in 1980, D'Amato became his legal guardian. Tyson lived and worked with D'Amato on his boxing while attending Catskill High School. But two years later, Tyson was expelled from the school. That same year, his mother had died of cancer, before Tyson ever really had a chance to get to know her, he said later. He worked with private tutors after being expelled while he kept working on his boxing, hoping to qualify for the 1984 Olympic trials. He competed in the 1981 and 1982 Junior Olympic Games, winning the gold medal twice -- and winning every bout by a knockout. Though Tyson failed to make the 1984 Olympic team, D'Amato decided that it was time for him to turn professional, at only 18 years old. Mike Tyson made his professional debut on March 6, 1985, in a fight against Hector Mercedes in Albany, N.Y. The 18-year-old boxer knocked out Mercedes in just one round.

Later that year, though, Tyson was rocked by the death of D'Amato, who died of pneumonia. His training was taken over by Kevin Rooney, D'Amato's assistant, and he continued boxing less than two weeks after D'Amato's death. His next fight -- yet another knockout, his 13th was dedicated to D'Amato's memory. By the time he was 20, Tyson had a 22-0 record, 21 of those fights won by KO. A year after his mentor died, in 1986, Tyson was given the chance they both had worked for: his first championship fight, against Trevor Berbick. In just the second round, Tyson knocked out Berbick and won the World Boxing Council heavyweight championship. He also became the youngest heavyweight champion in history, at just 20 years and four months. Though Tyson continued to win -- defending his title against James Smith in 1987 -- and added the World Boxing Association title to his resume. When he won the International Boxing Federation heavyweight title on Aug. 1 of that year, he became the first heavyweight boxer to unite the three titles.

In 1988, Tyson still had not lost a match, though it seemed that his dominance was perhaps beginning to fade. He signed on with Don King, a famous boxing promoter. At the same time, his marriage was ending, he fired longtime trainer Kevin Rooney, and his focus was being taken out of the ring. Tyson broke a bone in his hand after a brawl in August 1988, and, just a month later, was knocked unconscious after driving into a tree at D'Amato's home -- an act some tabloids claimed was a suicide attempt. In 1989, Tyson fought only two professional matches -- both to defend his heavyweight titles. But his winning streak came to an end on Feb. 11, 1990, against Buster Douglas. Tyson, with a 37-0 record, was the clear favorite, and even had knocked Douglas down to the mat in the eighth round. But 35 seconds into the 10th round, Douglas knocked out Tyson -- the first time he ever had hit the mat in his career -- and the defending champ was counted out. That fight remains one of the most shocking upsets in modern sports.

Tyson redeemed himself with a win against Olympic gold medalist Henry Tillman, whom Tyson had fought often as an amateur, later that year. He knocked out Tillman in the first round and followed that fight with a TKO in the first round against Alex Stewart later that year. He fought two more bouts, both against Dominic Ruddock, before his life changed tremendously. In 1992, Tyson was found guilty of rape and sent to prison for a six-year sentence. He entered the Indiana Youth Center in April 1992 and served three years, being released in March 1995. Already Tyson was planning his return to boxing. His comeback bout was against Peter McNeeley in August -- and Tyson won by DQ after knocking out Mc Neeley only 89 seconds into the match. He regained the WBC title from Frank Bruno in March 1996, and he earned the WBA title in September. But Tyson's first real challenge since leaving prison came later that year. In November, he faced Evander Holyfield, one of the only boxers who could claim as much fame as Tyson, for the WBA belt.

Holyfield, having recently returned from retirement, was not given much of a chance in the fight, but he surprised many by defeating Tyson by TKO in the 11th round. The bout was not without controversy, though -- Tyson's camp accused Holyfield of numerous headbutts during the bout, though they were ruled accidental by the referee. They proved important six months later, though, when Tyson and Holyfield met for a rematch. That bout set numerous records for viewership and money -- Tyson was paid $30 million and Holyfield $35 million for the fight, the largest purses ever, and a record 1.99 million households purchased the PPV showing of the fight. The ensuing fight would become one of the most controversial events in sports. Tyson bit Holyfield on the ear in the third round, pausing the match and causing the referee to deduct him two points. When the match resumed, though, Tyson did it again -- this time severely enough to remove a piece of Holyfield's right ear (it was found on the ring floor after the fight). Tyson was disqualified immediately, and Holyfield won the fight.

Tyson said he did it because Holyfield had gotten away with so many headbutts without punishment. Two days after the fight, Tyson issued a statement apologizing to Holyfield and asking not to be banned for life. The Nevada State Athletic Commission already had withheld $3 million from his purse. On July 9, the commission also rescinded Tyson's boxing license. He was unable to box for more than a year, before the commission restored his license on Oct. 18, 1998. Tyson made yet another comeback in a match in January 1999 against Francois Botha, another controversial and ill-tempered match that Tyson eventually won. Just a month later, Tyson returned to jail, this time on assault charges, for nine months. He returned with a no-contest decision in his first match, but won two of three of his 2000 bouts, both by TKO, before finishing with another no-contest -- despite an initial win in that last bout, the result was changed after Tyson tested positive for marijuana in a post-fight urine test. In his only match in 2001, Tyson earned a seventh-round TKO against Brian Nielsen.

In a fight for the heavyweight title against Lennox Lewis in 2002, Tyson suffered only the fourth loss of his career. There was plenty of bad blood in that match -- Tyson had delivered plenty of trash talk before the match, and the fighters had been involved in a brawl at a press conference several months before the fight. Tyson lost that fight in the eighth round, suffering only his second knockout ever. He would win only one more fight in his career after that bout against Lewis. His next fight, against Clifford Etienne, gave Tyson a KO in the first round, but he lost his next two matches -- by KO or TKO -- before declaring his retirement in late 2005. In his final match, one most considered extremely winnable, against Kevin McBride, Tyson failed to come out after the seventh round and retired after the fight, saying that his heart was no longer in the sport. Mike Tyson was in trouble with the law from an early age. While serving in a gang in Brooklyn as a child, Tyson was arrested 38 times by the age of 13. But his more serious accusations came later.

In 1988, Tyson was accused of spousal abuse by his wife, Robin Givens, and, at one point, the police were called to his home when he began throwing furniture out the window and tried to force his wife and her mother out of the house. His wife eventually filed for divorce, and Tyson counterfiled. In August 1988, Tyson was involved in a street brawl late at night against another professional fighter, Mitch Green. He broke a bone in his hand and, several years later, was forced to pay Green $45,000 for the incident. Just a month later, Tyson was knocked unconscious after driving his car into a tree -- some tabloids claimed the act was a suicide attempt brought on by drug abuse. He was fined for the incident and sentenced with community service. Later that year, Tyson was sued for inappropriate behavior with two women he met at a nightclub, Sandra Miller and Lori Davis. Both accused Tyson of forcefully grabbing them and insulting them incessantly. On Nov. 1, 1990, a New York jury sided with Miller in the case, forcing Tyson to pay her.

His most serious accusations arose a year later, when Tyson was accused of raping Desiree Washington in July 1991. Tyson's defense argued that the relations with Washington were consensual, but some believe that Tyson's defensive and hostile behavior on the stand helped lead to his conviction. Tyson was found guilty on Feb. 10, 1992, and, after an appeal by his lawyers was denied, was sentenced on March 26. Tyson received a 10-year sentence: six years in prison, and four years on probation. Tyson entered the Indiana Youth Center in April 1992. He added 15 days to his sentence after threatening a guard just after entering prison, but eventually was released after serving three years. Tyson was released from prison on March 25, 1995. But the boxer was back in court a few years later -- this time on civil charges. Tyson filed a $100 million lawsuit against Don King, accusing him of cheating Tyson out of millions. He also sued his former managers for their part in his relations with King. King and Tyson eventually settled out of court for $14 million, though Tyson allegedly lost millions in the process.

In July 1998, Tyson was back in trouble. He assaulted two motorists after a car accident dented his Mercedes. Just a few months after his boxing license was reinstated, Tyson was back in court, and he pleaded no contest for the assault. He was sentenced to four years for the assault, but was given one year of jail time, a $5,000 fine and 200 hours of community services. He served nine months starting in February 1999. When he got out, Tyson faced more rape allegations in 2001, from an acquaintance in San Bernardino, Calif. The San Bernardino District Attorney eventually decided not to file charges, citing a lack of evidence. Despite his large purses during his boxing career, Tyson was forced to file for bankruptcy in 2003. He said his finances were "destitute" thanks to lavish spending during his career. In the same year, Tyson pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor assault charges after a fight in a Brooklyn Hotel in June. He sought to have the charges dismissed, claiming self-defense after the men threatened him with a gun.

Eventually, in February 2004, Tyson agreed to a plea deal: The boxer would plead guilty to disorderly conduct and would do community service and receive counseling, and he would avoid jail time. On Dec. 29, 2006, Tyson was arrested again -- this time in Scottsdale, Ariz., on suspicion of DUI and felony drug possession. Tyson had crashed into a police SUV after leaving a nightclub and, according to a police report, told the responding officer that he had used drugs and that he was an addict. He pleaded not guilty in January 2007 before checking himself into a treatment program for addictions. On Sept. 24, 2007, Tyson returned to court and pleaded guilty to cocaine possession and DUI. He was convicted in November 2007 and, despite prosecutors asking for a year-long sentence, was sentenced to 24 hours in jail, 360 hours of community service and three years' probation. Tyson was arrested in November 2009 after getting into a fight with a photographer at Los Angeles International Airport, but no charges were filed. Mike Tyson has been married three times, and he has eight children, by several women.

Tyson's first marriage was to actress Robin Givens, whom he married in February 1988. That marriage lasted barely over a year and was filled with accusations of spousal abuse and violence. Givens and Tyson appeared on 20/20 just a few months after their marriage, where Givens accused him of being manic depressive and described her life with him as "pure hell." Eight months into their marriage -- and one month after that interview -- Givens filed for divorce. Tyson countersued, and the couple eventually parted in February 1989. Tyson's second wife was Monica Turner, whom he married in April 1997. They had two children together, Rayna and Amir. Tyson filed for divorce in 2002, claiming that he had committed adultery during their marriage. They divorced officially in 2003. Tyson's third and current wife is Lakiha Spicer, 11 years his junior. They married in June 2009 in Las Vegas. The couple have two children, Milan (born in 2008) and Morocco (born in 2011).

Tyson has had four other children: Mikey (born 1990), D'Amato (born in 1990 and named after his coach and father figure), Miguel (born in 2002) and Exodus (2005-09). His 4-year-old daughter Exodus was killed in a freak accident in 2009 when she was tangled in the cord of a treadmill. Her older brother found her, and her mother did CPR, but the child died in the hospital the next day. Tyson married Spicer 10 days after his daughter's death. While he was in prison on rape charges, Tyson converted to Islam, influenced by a Muslim professor in the jail. He took on the Muslim name of Malik Abdul Aziz. In July 2010, Tyson took a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia to visit Mecca. Tyson in popular culture While Tyson was fighting in the 1980s and 1990s, he was one of the most recognizable sports figures in the world. He made cameos in several popular TV shows and movies.

In 1998, while Tyson was banned from boxing after his fight with Evander Holyfield, he hosted and served as the special outside enforcer for WrestleMania XIV. One of Tyson's most famous cameos in recent years was in the popular 2009 film, "The Hangover," in which he played himself, living in Las Vegas with a pet tiger. He also appears in the movie's sequel, "The Hangover II," which became the highest grossing comedy opening weekend ever. A documentary on Tyson was released in 2008, entitled "Tyson." The movie received huge critical acclaim -- and a 10-minute standing ovation -- at the Cannes film festival, where it was first screened. The film was directed by James Toback and follows Tyson's journey from teenager to boxing champ, to prison and back. In March 2011, Tyson starred in a new Animal Planet show called "Taking on Tyson," which featured his long love for raising pigeons. It features Tyson's breeding and raising pigeons, as well as his first forays into racing the birds. Tyson partnered with Nintendo to release a series of video games, Mike Tyson's Punch Out!

The first game was released in 1987 for the NES. In 2011, the game was released for the iPhone. In 2003, Tyson hired tattoo artist S. Victor Whitmill to create a tribal pattern on his face. The tattoo, which spans Tyson's forehead down to his cheek and around his eye, has become well-known and is one of Tyson's trademarks. In "The Hangover II," one of the main characters gets the same tattoo on his face and, weeks before the release of the movie, Whitmill sued its creators for copyright infringement, claiming he put out a copyright on the design of the tattoo. The lawsuit still is pending. VIDEO RESULTS FOR MIKE TYSON Mike Tyson - BoxRec Mike Tyson Hall of Fame bio: click Name: Mike Tyson Birth Name: Michael Gerard Tyson Born: 1966-06-30 Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, USA Hometown: Henderson, Nevada, USA 4 of 6 amateur losses were classed as controversial decisions 1981 United States Junior Olympic Heavyweight Champion.

Results: Jesus Esparza - RSC 1 1981 Ernie Bennett - L 3 1982 United States Junior Olympic Heavyweight Champion. Results: Tito Llanes - RSC 1 Al Evans - L RSC 3 1983 National Golden Gloves Heavyweight Finalist. Results: Ronald Williams - RSC 1 Kimmuel Odum - L DQ 2 1983 Ohio State Fair Heavyweight Champion. Results: 1983 United States Under-19 Heavyweight Champion, defeating Mark Scott by RSC 1 1984 United States Under-19 Heavyweight Champion, defeating Orbit Pough by KO 1 1984 National Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champion. Results: 1984 United States Olympic Trials Heavyweight Finalist. Results: Kelton Brown - KO 1 1984 United States Olympic Box-Offs. Results: Olian Alexander - W 3 Haakan Brock (Sweden) - W 3 (5-0) Preceded by: Tyson wearing the WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight title belts. Tyson vs.

Trevor Berbick Has a record of 12-4 (10 KO) in world title fights. Has a record of 3-2 (3 KO) in lineal title fights. Has a record of 11-4-0-1 (9 KO) against former or current world titlists: No Contest against Orlin Norris . Has a record of 3-4 (3 KO) against former or current lineal titlists: Lost against James Douglas , Evander Holyfield (twice), and Lennox Lewis . Has a record of 7-0 (6 KO) against undefeated boxers: Lost against Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield (twice). Has a record of 4-1 (4 KO) in fights outside his native United States.

Year-By-Year Record 1992-1994: Did not fight (served prison sentence) 1995: 2(1)-0 1998: Did not fight (boxing license suspended) 1999: 1(1)-0-0-1 (2) WBC Heavyweight Title (1986-1990; 9 defenses, 1996; 0 defenses) (2) WBA Heavyweight Title (1987-1990; 8 defenses, 1996; 0 defenses) IBF Heavyweight Title (1987-1990; 6 defenses) Unified & Undisputed Titles Unified Heavyweight Title (1996; WBC , WBA ) The Ring Magazine Titles Named the 50th greatest boxer of all-time by ESPN in 2007. Mike Tyson's World Tour "Mike Tyson's World Tour," a series of four-round exhibitions bouts, was announced on September 28, 2006. Tyson said he anticipated taking the show to Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

"Mike Tyson's World Tour" was shades of the 1930's exhibition tour by former World Heavyweight Champion Jack Dempsey . On October 21, 2006, Tyson made the first and only stop of his exhibition tour in Youngstown, Ohio. Tyson and Corey Sanders boxed four two½ minute rounds. Tyson weighed 241½ lbs, while Sanders weighed 292½ lbs. Both boxers wore t-shirts, and Sanders wore headgear. Tyson dropped Sanders in the first round, but he didn't go for the knockout when Sanders got up. Later in the round, Tyson held Sanders up after landing another hard punch. The fans booed throughout the match. Promoter Sterling McPherson said afterwards, "I don't know what people were looking for. We weren't trying to fool anyone or pull the wool over anyone's eyes. This was an exhibition. People boo at real fights...

this isn't about him beating anybody up." Preceded by: Mike Tyson becomes the youngest heavyweight champ in history - Nov 22, 1986 - HISTORY.com Mike Tyson becomes the youngest heavyweight champ in history Share this: Mike Tyson becomes the youngest heavyweight champ in history Author Mike Tyson becomes the youngest heavyweight champ in history URL Publisher A+E Networks On November 22, 1986, 20-year-old Mike Tyson knocks out 33-year-old Trevor Berbick in just five minutes and 35 seconds to become the youngest titleholder ever. “I’m the youngest heavyweight boxing champion in history,” Tyson told his manager after the fight, “and I’m going to be the oldest.” Tyson’s bravado wasn’t misplaced: When he walked into the ring to face Berbick, he had won all 27 of the matches he’d fought, knocking out 26 of his opponents. He threw unbelievably hard punches–“pineapples,” trainer Angelo Dundee called them. Ref Mills Lane agreed: “Everything he’s got has ‘good night’ written all over it,” he said.

Berbick refused to be intimidated by the younger man’s furious arm and decided–unwisely, it turned out–to stand up to Tyson instead of boxing him. He didn’t bob or weave or even throw punches. He just stood there, wanting to show the world that he could take whatever Tyson was dishing out. “I was trying to prove to myself that I could take his best shot,” Berbick said, but “he punches pretty hard.” Tyson had a plan, too: “I wanted to throw every punch with bad intentions,” he said after the fight. “I was throwing–what can I say–hydrogen bombs.” During the first round, Berbick had fought in such slow motion that he looked like he was underwater; early in the second, Tyson walloped him to the mat with a powerful left hook. The older man bounced up, but Tyson thumped him again. Berbick froze; then his legs buckled and he fell. The ref began to count while the champ struggled to get up. He lifted himself off the mat twice, and twice his legs wobbled so much that he fell again. He finally made it up, but Lane stopped the fight anyway.

“Berbick was up,” he said later, “but to allow somebody to get hit in that condition, that’s criminal.” Tyson kept his title for nine more bouts, until Buster Douglas beat him in 1990. After that, his life unraveled. He was sent to prison for three years for rape. Then, five fights into his comeback in 1995, he bit off a part of Evander Holyfield’s ear and was disqualified. He retired for good in 2005. Berbick didn’t fare much better: He, too, spent time in prison for rape, and was found dead (of “chop wounds” to his head, according to the coroner’s report) in a church courtyard in Jamaica in 2006. Related Videos Mike Tyson Timeline - The Early Years June 30, 1966 - Mike Gerard Tyson is born in Brooklyn, New York to Lorna Tyson and Jimmy Kirkpatrick. 1978 - Tyson, 12, is arrested in Brooklyn for purse-snatching and sent to Tryon School for Boys.

1979 - A boxing instructor at a New York State correction facility for boys brought Tyson to the attention of Cus D'Amato, who had guided Floyd Patterson to the heavyweight title. 1982 - Tyson is expelled from Catskill High School for a series of transgressions. 1984 - D'Amato becomes Tyson's legal guardian. March 6, 1985 - In his professional debut, Tyson defeats Hector Mercedes in one round. Nov. 4, 1985 - D'Amato dies of pneumonia. Jan. 1986 - "When you see me smash somebody's skull, you enjoy it." continue reading below our video Understanding Baseball Feb. 1986 - "I try to catch them right on the tip of his nose because I try to punch the bone into the brain." Nov. 22, 1986 - Tyson knocks out Trevor Berbick in the second round, winning the WBC heavyweight title to become the youngest heavyweight champion in history at age 20. March 3, 1987 - Tyson defeats James "Bonecrusher" Smith at Las Vegas to win the WBA heavyweight title.

May 30, 1987 - Tyson knocks out Pinklon Thomas in the sixth round at Las Vegas to retain his WBA-WBC heavyweight titles. May 30, 1987 - "Every shot was thrown with bad intentions. I was hoping he would get up so I could hit him again and keep him down." Aug. 1, 1987 - Tyson decisions Tony Tucker to retain the WBA-WBC heavyweight titles and win the IBF heavyweight title. Oct. 16, 1987 - Knocks out Tyrell Biggs in the seventh round in Atlantic City to retain the world heavyweight title. Jan. 22, 1988 - Tyson knocks out Larry Holmes in the fourth round to retain the world heavyweight title. Feb. 9, 1988 - Tyson weds actress Robin Givens in New York. March 1988 - "Real freedom is having nothing. I was freer when I didn't have a cent. Do you know what I do sometimes? Put on a ski mask and dress in old clothes, go out on the streets and beg for quarters." March 1988 - "I love to hit people.

I love to. Most celebrities are afraid someone's going to attack them. I want someone to attack me. No weapons. Just me and him. I like to beat men and beat them bad." March 1988 - "When I fight someone, I want to break his will. I want to take his manhood. I want to rip out his heart and show it to him." March 21, 1988 - Tyson knocks out Tony Tubbs to retain the world heavyweight title. May 1988 - Tyson dents his Bentley convertible in a traffic accident in Manhattan. He gives the $183,000 car to two cops, later resulting in their suspensions. June 17, 1988 - Robin Givens and her family publicly accuse Tyson of domestic violence. June 1988 - "Anyone with a grain of sense would know that if I punched my wife I would rip her head off. It's all lies. I have never laid a finger on her." June 27, 1988 - Tyson sues manager Bill Cayton to break their contract.

June 27, 1988 - Tyson knocks out Michael Spinks in 91 seconds to become undisputed linear heavyweight champion. July 27, 1988 - Settles Cayton suit out of court, reducing Cayton's managerial share from one-third to 20 percent of purses. Aug. 23, 1988 - Breaks a bone in his right hand in a 4 a.m. street brawl with professional fighter Mitch Green in Harlem. Sept. 4, 1988 - Tyson crashes his BMW into a tree. The New York Daily News reports three days later that it was a suicide attempt. Sept. 4, 1988 - Tyson is knocked unconscious after driving his BMW into a tree. Three days later, the New York Daily News reports the accident was a "suicide attempt" caused by a "chemical imbalance" that made him violent and irrational. Sept. 30, 1988 - Givens says in a nationally televised interview that Tyson is a manic-depressive and that she is afraid of him. Tyson sits meekly next to her. Oct. 7, 1988 - Givens files for divorce.

Oct. 14, 1988 - Tyson countersues Givens for divorce and annulment. Oct. 26, 1988 - Tyson becomes partners with Don King. Dec. 12, 1988 - Sandra Miller of New York sues Tyson for allegedly grabbing her, propositioning her and insulting her at a nightclub. Dec. 15, 1988 - Lori Davis of New York sues Tyson for allegedly grabbing her buttocks while she was dancing at the same nightclub on the same night as the incident with Miller. Feb. 14, 1989 - Tyson and Givens are divorced in the Dominican Republic. Feb. 25, 1989 - Tyson knocks out Frank Bruno to retain the world heavyweight title. Prev Mike Tyson - Boxer - Biography.com Mike Tyson Mike Tyson is a former heavyweight boxing champion who's served jail time and appeared in several films. IN THESE GROUPS » quotes “I'm a dreamer. I have to dream and reach for the stars, and if I miss a star then I grab a handful of clouds.” “I'm a good guy, I'm a good brother. There's nothing wrong with me.

Just don't push me too far, you know.” “When I fight someone, I want to break his will. I want to take his manhood. I want to rip out his heart and show it to him.” Mike Tyson Mike Tyson - Mini Biography (TV-14; 4:02) A short biography of Mike Tyson, the undisputed heavyweight champion, known for his intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behavior. In 1997, he made headlines for biting Evander Holyfield's ear during a rematch. Synopsis Born in Brooklyn, New York, on June 30, 1966, Mike Tyson became the youngest heavyweight boxing champion of the world in 1986, at age 20. He lost the title in 1990 and later served three years in prison over rape charges. He subsequently earned further notoriety by biting Evander Holyfield 's ear during a rematch in 1997. Tyson has gone on to appear in several films, including a documentary and Broadway show on his life.

Early Life Michael Gerard Tyson was born on June 30, 1966, in Brooklyn, New York, to parents Jimmy Kirkpatrick and Lorna Tyson. When Michael was two years old his father abandoned the family, leaving Lorna to care for Michael and his two siblings, Rodney and Denise. Struggling financially, the Tyson family moved to Brownsville, Brooklyn, a neighborhood known for its high crime. Small and shy, Tyson was often the target of bullying. To combat this, he began developing his own style of street fighting, which ultimately transitioned into criminal activity. His gang, known as the Jolly Stompers, assigned him to clean out cash registers while older members held victims at gunpoint. He was only 11 years old at the time. He frequently ran into trouble with police over his petty criminal activities, and by the age of 13, he had been arrested more than 30 times. Tyson's bad behavior landed him in the Tryon School for Boys, a reform school in upstate New York. At Tryon, Tyson met counselor Bob Stewart, who had been an amateur boxing champion. Tyson wanted Stewart to teach him how to use his fists.

Stewart reluctantly agreed, on the condition that Mike would stay out of trouble and work harder in school. Previously classified as learning disabled, Mike managed to raise his reading abilities to the seventh-grade level in a matter of months. He also became determined to learn everything he could about boxing, often slipping out of bed after curfew to practice punches in the dark. In 1980, Stewart felt he had taught Tyson all he knew. He introduced the aspiring boxer to legendary boxing manager Constantine "Cus" D'Amato, who had a gym in Catskill, New York. D'Amato was known for taking personal interest in promising fighters, even providing them room and board in the home he shared with companion Camille Ewald. He had handled the careers of several successful boxers, including Floyd Patterson and Jose Torres, and he immediately recognized Tyson's promise as a heavyweight contender, telling him, "If you want to stay here, and if you want to listen, you could be the world heavyweight champion someday." Tyson agreed to stay. The relationship between D'Amato and Tyson was more than that of a professional trainer and a boxer—it was also one of a father and son.

D'Amato took Tyson under his wing, and when the 14-year-old was paroled from Tryon in September 1980, he entered into D'Amato's full-time custody. D'Amato set a rigorous training schedule for the young athlete, sending him to Catskill High School during the day and training in the ring every evening. D'Amato also entered Tyson in amateur boxing matches and "smokers," or non-sanctioned fights, in order to teach the teen how to deal with older opponents. Tyson's life seemed to be looking up, but in 1982, he suffered several personal losses. That year, Tyson's mother died of cancer. "I never saw my mother happy with me and proud of me for doing something," he later told reporters. "She only knew of me as being a wild kid running the streets, coming home with new clothes that she knew I didn't pay for. I never got a chance to talk to her or know about her. Professionally, it has no effect, but it's crushing emotionally and personally." Around this same time, Tyson was expelled from Catskill High for his erratic, often violent behavior.

Tyson continued his schooling through private tutors while he trained for the 1984 Olympic trials. Tyson's showing in the trials, however, did not promise great success; he lost to the eventual gold medalist, Henry Tillman. After failing to make the Olympic team, D'Amato decided that it was time for his fighter to turn professional. The trainer conceived a game plan that would result in breaking the heavyweight championship for Tyson before the young man's 21st birthday, breaking the record originally set by Floyd Patterson. Early Career On March 6, 1985, Tyson made his professional debut in Albany, New York, against Hector Mercedes. The 18-year-old knocked Mercedes out in one round. Tyson's strength, quick fists and his notable defensive abilities intimidated his opponents, who were often afraid to hit the fighter. This gave Tyson the uncanny ability to level his opponents in only one round, and earned him the nickname "Iron Mike." The year was a successful one for Tyson, but it was not without its tragedies. On November 4, 1985, D'Amato died of pneumonia. Tyson was rocked by the death of the man he considered his surrogate father.

Boxing trainer Kevin Rooney took over D'Amato's coaching duties and, less than two weeks later, Tyson continued on the path that D'Amato had laid out for him. He recorded his thirteenth knockout in Houston, Texas, and dedicated the fight to D'Amato. Although he seemed to recover well from D'Amato's passing, those close to Tyson say that the boxer never fully recovered from the loss. Many attributed the boxer's future behavior to the loss of the man that had previously grounded and supported him. By 1986, at the age of 20, Tyson had garnered a 22-0 record—21 of the fights won by knockout. On November 22, 1986, Tyson finally reached his goal: He was given his first title fight against Trevor Berbick for the World Boxing Council heavyweight championship. Tyson won the title by a knockout in the second round. At the age of 20 years and four months, he beat Patterson's record, becoming the youngest heavyweight champion in history. Tyson's success in the ring didn't stop there.

He defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, adding the World Boxing Association championship to his list of victories. On August 1 he became the first heavyweight to own all three major boxing belts when he won the International Boxing Federation title from Tony Tucker. Marriage and Arrests Tyson's rise from childhood delinquent to boxing champ put him at the center of the media's attentions. Met with sudden fame, Tyson began partying hard and stepping out with various Hollywood stars. Around this time, Tyson set his sights on television actress Robin Givens. The couple began dating, and on February 7, 1988, he and Givens married in New York. But Tyson's game seemed to be on the decline, and after several close calls in the ring, it became clear that the boxer's edge was slipping. Once known for his complicated offensive and defensive moves, Tyson seemed to continually rely on his one-punch knockout move to finish his bouts. The boxer blamed his long-time trainer, Rooney, for his struggle in the ring and fired him in mid 1988. As his game was falling apart, so was Tyson's marriage to Givens.

Allegations of spousal abuse began to surface in the media in June of 1988, and Givens and her mother demanded access to Tyson's money for a down payment on a $3 million home in New Jersey. That same year, police were called to Tyson's home after he began throwing furniture out of the window and forced Givens and her mother to leave the home. That summer, Tyson also found himself in court with manager Bill Cayton, in an effort to break their contract. By July 1988, Cayton had settled out of court, agreeing to reduce his share from one-third to 20 percent of Tyson's purses. Soon after, Tyson struck up a partnership with boxing promoter Don King. The move seemed like a step in the right direction for the boxer, but his life was spiraling out of control both in and out of the ring. Tyson's behavior during this time became increasingly violent and erratic. In August 1988, he broke a bone in his right hand after a 4 a.m. street brawl with professional fighter Mitch Green. The next month, Tyson was knocked unconscious after driving his BMW into a tree at D'Amato's home.

Tabloids later claimed the accident was a suicide attempt brought on from excessive drug use. He was fined $200 and sentenced to community service for speeding. Later that September, Givens and Tyson appeared in an interview with Barbara Walters in which Givens described her marriage as "pure hell." Shortly thereafter, she announced that she was filing for divorce. Tyson countersued for a divorce and an annulment, beginning an ugly months-long court process. This was just the beginning of Tyson's struggles with women. In late 1988, Tyson was sued for his inappropriate attentions toward two nightclub patrons, Sandra Miller and Lori Davis. The women sued Tyson for allegedly forcefully grabbing, propositioning and insulting them while out dancing. On February 14, 1989, Tyson's split with Givens became official. Imprisonment and Return to Boxing Tyson stepped back into the ring with British boxer Frank Bruno in an effort to retain his world heavyweight title. Tyson went on to knock out Bruno in the fifth round, and keep his status as world champ. On July 21, 1989, Tyson defended his title again, knocking out Carl "The Truth" Williams in one round.

Tyson's winning streak came to an end on February 11, 1990, however, when he lost his championship belt to boxer Buster Douglas in Tokyo, Japan. Tyson, the clear favorite, sent Douglas to the mat in the eighth round, but Douglas came back in the tenth, knocking Tyson out for the first time in his career. Discouraged but not ready to give up, Tyson recovered by knocking out Olympic gold medalist—and former amateur boxing adversary—Henry Tillman later that year. In another bout, he defeated Alex Stewart by a knockout in the first round. But Tyson lost his fight in court on November 1, 1990, when a New York City civil jury sided with Sandra Miller for the barroom incident of 1988. Then in July of 1991, Tyson was accused of raping Desiree Washington, a Miss Black American contestant. On March 26, 1992, after nearly a year of trial proceedings, Tyson was found guilty on one count of rape and two counts of deviant sexual conduct. Because of Indiana state laws, Tyson was ordered to serve six years in prison, effective immediately.

Tyson initially handled his stint in prison poorly, and was found guilty of threatening a guard while in prison, adding 15 days to his sentence. That same year, Tyson's father died. The boxer didn't request leave to attend the funeral. While imprisoned, Tyson converted to Islam, and adopted the name Malik Abdul Aziz. On March 25, 1995, after serving three years of his sentence, Tyson was released from the Indiana Youth Center near Plainfield, Indiana. Already planning his comeback, Tyson arranged his next fight with Peter McNeeley in Las Vegas, Nevada. On August 19, 1995, Tyson won the fight, knocking out McNeeley in just 89 seconds. Tyson also won his next match in December 1995, knocking out Buster Mathis Jr. in the third round. Holyfield Fight After his personal and professional setbacks, Tyson seemed to be making a positive change in his life. After several successful fights, Tyson came head-to-head with his next big challenger: Evander Holyfield. Holyfield had been promised a title shot against Tyson in 1990, but before that fight could occur Douglas defeated Tyson.

Instead of fighting Tyson, Holyfield fought Douglas for the heavyweight title. Douglas lost by knockout on October 25, 1990, making Holyfield the new undefeated, undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. On November 9, 1996, Tyson faced Holyfield for the heavyweight title. The evening would not end successfully for Tyson, who lost to Holyfield by a knockout in the 11th round. Instead of Tyson's anticipated victory, Holyfield made history by becoming the second person to win a heavyweight championship belt three times. Tyson claimed he was the victim of multiple illegal head butts by Holyfield, and vowed to avenge his loss. Tyson trained heavily for a rematch with Holyfield, and on June 28, 1997, the two boxers faced off yet again. The fight was televised on pay-per-view and entered nearly 2 million households, setting a record at the time for the highest number of paid television viewers. Both boxers also received record purses for the match, making them the highest-paid professional boxers in history until 2007. The first and second rounds provided the typical crowd-pleasing action expected from the two champions.

But the fight took an unexpected turn in the third round of the match. Tyson shocked fans and boxing officials when he grabbed Holyfield and bit both of the boxer's ears, completely severing a piece of Holyfield's right ear. Tyson claimed that the action was retaliation for Holyfield's illegal head butts from their previous match. Judges didn't agree with Tyson's reasoning, however, and disqualified the boxer from the match. On July 9, 1997, the Nevada State Athletic Commission revoked Tyson's boxing license in a unanimous voice vote, and fined the boxer $3 million for biting Holyfield. No longer able to fight, Tyson was aimless and unmoored. Several months later, Tyson was dealt another blow when he was ordered to pay boxer Mitch Green $45,000 for his 1988 street-fighting incident. Shortly after the court ruling, Tyson landed in the hospital after his motorcycle skidded out of control on a ride through Connecticut. The former boxer broke a rib and punctured a lung. Don King Lawsuit, Lewis Fight and Retirement Tyson landed in court yet again, this time in 1998 as a plaintiff.

On March 5, 1998, the boxer filed a $100 million lawsuit in U.S. District Court in New York against Don King, accusing the promoter of cheating him out of millions of dollars. He also filed a lawsuit against his former managers Rory Holloway and John Horne, claiming they made King Tyson's exclusive promoter without the boxer's knowledge. King and Tyson settled out of court for $14 million. Tyson alledgedly lost millions in the process. In the wake of several more lawsuits, including another sexual harassment trial and a $22 million suit filed by Rooney for wrongful termination, Tyson struggled to reinstate his boxing license. In July 1998, the boxer reapplied for his boxing license in New Jersey, but later withdrew his application before the board could meet to discuss his case. A few weeks later, in yet another outburst, Tyson assaulted two motorists after a car accident in Maryland dented his Mercedes. In October 1998, Tyson's boxing license was reinstated. Tyson was back in the ring only a few months before he plead no contest for his attack on the motorists in Maryland.

The judge sentenced Tyson to two concurrent two-year sentences for the assault, but was given only one year of jail time, a $5,000 fine and 200 hours of community service. He was released after serving nine months, and went straight back into the ring. The next several years were marred with more accusations of physical assaults, sexual harassment, and public incidents. Then, in 2000, a random drug test revealed that Tyson had been smoking marijuana. The results caused boxing officials to penalize Tyson by declaring his victory against boxer Andrew Golota a loss. His next highly publicized fight would be in 2002 with WBC, IBF and IBO champion Lennox Lewis. Tyson was once again fighting for the heavyweight championship, and the match was a very personal one. Tyson made several remarks to Lewis before the fight, including a threat to "eat his children." At a January press conference, the two boxers began a brawl that threatened to cancel the match, but the fight was eventually scheduled for June of that year. Tyson lost the fight by a knockout, and the defeat signaled the decline of the former champion's career.

After losing several more fights throughout 2003 and 2005, Tyson announced his retirement. Personal Life Tyson also suffered in his personal life around this time. After six years of marriage, second wife Monica Turner filed for divorce in 2003, on grounds of adultry. That same year, he filed for bankruptcy after his exorbitant spending, multiple trials and bad investments caught up with him. In an attempt to pay off his debts, Tyson stepped back into the ring for a series of exhibition fights. To curb expenses, the boxer also sold his upscale mansion in Farmington, Connecticut, to rapper 50 Cent for a little more than $4 million. He crashed on friends' couches and slept in shelters until he landed in Phoenix, Arizona. There, in 2005, he purchased a home in Paradise Valley for $2.1 million, which he financed by endorsing products and making cameos on television and in boxing exhibitions. But Tyson's hard-partying ways caught up with him again in late 2006. Tyson was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona, after nearly crashing into a police SUV. Suspected of driving while intoxicated, police pulled Tyson over and searched his car.

During the search, the police discovered cocaine and drug paraphernalia throughout the vehicle. On September 24, 2007, Mike Tyson pleaded guilty to possession of narcotics and driving under the influence. He was sentenced to 24 hours in jail, 360 hours of community service and three years' probation. Tyson's life seemed to mellow over the next few years, and the boxer began seeking sobriety by attending Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings. But in 2009, Tyson was dealt another blow when his 4-year-old daughter, Exodus, accidentally strangled herself on a treadmill cord in her mother's Phoenix home. The tragedy marked yet another dark period in Tyson's troubled life. Tyson is the father of seven known children—Gena, Rayna, Amir, D'Amato Kilrain, Mikey Lorna, Miguel Leon and Exodus—with multiple women, some of whom continue to remain anonymous to the media. Recent Projects and Problems In 2009, Tyson returned to the spotlight with a cameo in the hit comedy The Hangover with Bradley Cooper. He married for a third time that same year, walking down the aisle with Lakiha "Kiki" Spicer.

The couple has two children together, daughter Milan and son Morocco. The success of his appearance as himself in The Hangover seemed to open the door to more acting opportunities, including guest appearances on such television series as Entourage, How I Met Your Mother and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In 2012, Tyson made his Broadway debut in his one-man show Mike Tyson: The Undisputed Truth directed by Spike Lee.

Question: Which boxer did Mike Tyson defeat in 1986 to win his first professional world title?
Answer: (Trevor) Berbick